How Long Is Forever?
by ROBINROX
Summary: After Apprentice pt 2,Robin decides it's dangerous for everyone else to be there.He sends Starfire back to her home planet and disbands the Titans.Is this really the end?Will the city be destroyed by Slade?StarfireRobin
1. Simple and Clean

DISCLAIMER:I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS!NOR DO I OWN SIMPLE AND CLEAN,THE SONG I'M USING.It's the Kingdom Hearts theme song.  
  
You're giving me too many things  
  
Lately you're all I need  
  
You smiled at me and said  
  
Don't get me wrong I love you  
  
But does that mean I have to meet you're father?  
  
When we are older you'll understand  
  
What I meant when I said "No  
  
I don't think life is quite that simple"  
  
When you walk away  
  
You don't hear me say please  
  
Oh baby, don't go  
  
Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight  
  
It's hard to let it go  
  
The daily things that keep us all busy  
  
Are confusing me  
  
That's when you came to me and said,  
  
Wish I could prove I love you  
  
But does that mean I have to walk on water?  
  
When we are older you'll understand  
  
It's enough when I say so  
  
And maybe some things are that simple  
  
When you walk away  
  
You don't hear me say please  
  
Oh baby, don't go  
  
Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight  
  
It's hard to let it go  
  
Hold me  
  
Whatever lies beyond this morning  
  
Is a little later on  
  
Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all  
  
Nothing's like before  
  
When you walk away  
  
You don't hear me say please  
  
Oh baby, don't go  
  
Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight  
  
It's hard to let it go  
  
Hold me  
  
Whatever lies beyond this morning  
  
Is a little later on  
  
Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all  
  
Nothing's like before  
  
Hold me  
  
Whatever lies beyond this morning  
  
Is a little later on  
  
Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all  
  
Nothing's like before  
  
Robin looked out over the water and sighed. He was sitting on the pier, elbows on his knees, arms crossed, chin on his arms. He had been so afraid for Starfire the second time Slade let loose his probes. What if she had died? Robin shook his head to get rid of the evil thought. A tear fell onto Robin's cheeks and he bit his lip. Crying wasn't going to do anything for him, only prove him to be weak. A hand on his shoulder made him lift his head. Starfire's bright green eyes met his and Robin suppressed a sigh. Starfire smiled at him and took his hand. "Let's go back to the tower. They are waiting." Robin nodded his head once and stood, hand still in Starfire's. She lifted them off the ground and flew to the Titan Tower, wind blowing gently through her hair. A sense of panic slowly welled up in Robin. What if she dropped him? What if he fell? They were right in the middle of the sea now, he wouldn't be able to make it to either shore. Then Starfire's hand tightened on Robin's and he blushed. It was stupid to think Starfire would drop him. And if she did, she would just fly down and pick him back up. That said, Robin let go of his panic and smiled as the wind blew his hair around, tousling it even more than usual. Starfire let him down onto land first and Robin smiled up at her. 


	2. How Long Is Forever,Robin?

DISCLAIMER:I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS!  
  
Robin looked at the pictures of Slade on his walls and his eyes narrowed. He hated Slade. Hated him for what he had done to his friends, hated him for what he had made him do. And now, he hated Slade for what Robin had decided he had to do. There was no other way to keep the Titans safe from Slade. A single tear fell from Robin's eyes and he turned away from the wall. This was going to be so hard.None of them would understand why he had to do this.But he had to. Robin took a deep breathe and stood. He went to his door and opened it, trying to keep his mind off what he was going to do. He went first to Starfire's room and knocked softly on the door. It opened and Starfire's beaming face looked at him. Robin pushed back the tears that threatened to flow over his eyes and cleared his throat. "May- May I come in?" Starfire nodded and stepped aside. Robin stepped in and looked around. The room was pink, and had a window where a wall should have been. Sunlight poured in through it and Robin's eyes took time to adjust to the light. Then he turned to Starfire and bit his lip. "Star, I have to tell you something. And this is real hard on me, so don't interrupt." Starfire nodded that she understood. Robin sat on her bed and Starfire sat next to him. "Star, you need to go back to Tamaran. I can't risk Slade trying to hurt you all to get to me again, and.And I think he knows how much you mean to me. So he would go after you first. You have to go back to Tamaran. For me." Starfire nodded and Robin saw tears well up in her eyes. "For how long must I go home?" Robin turned away at this. This part would hurt the most. "For forever." Starfire touched Robin's arm and he let a single tear fall. "How long is forever, Robin?" At this, Robin burst into tears and Starfire jumped up. She had never seen him cry. He was the Titans leader, always in control. Now, he was just a frightened child, wanting to be held and told that everything would be okay. "Robin, what is wrong?" Robin turned and Starfire gasped. His face was calm, despite the tears that still flowed from his eyes. "Everything's wrong, Star. Everything." 


	3. Starfire Wonders,Robin Tells

DISCLAIMER:I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS!  
  
Starfire sat at the table in the kitchen and thought. She must mean a lot to Robin for him to think of sending her back to Tamaran. She sighed and made herself coffee, a drink she had recently acquired a taste for. The hot drink scalded the back of her throat and Starfire coughed. Of course. She was so preoccupied, she had forgotten to add the milk that cooled it down. Pouring in a little milk, Starfire sat back down at the table and thought. It was so hard, being an alien on this planet. Never understanding their customs. And just as she was getting the hang of it, Robin decided she had to go back to Tamaran. Starfire shook her head and took another sip of coffee. Earth was such an odd place. Wait. Robin had said that he thinks Slade knows how mush she means to him. How much does she mean to him? Does Robin LOVE her? Starfire was so confused. She would usually turn to Robin for clarification, but now she wasn't sure he would tell her the entire truth. Starfire's jade green eyes sparkled with tears and she looked up at the ceiling. "It's so difficult here, mother.What would you do, were you in my place?" Tears slowly spilled down the Tamaranians cheeks and she put her head on the table. Robin watched her from the couch and silent tears slid down his cheeks. He turned back to the movie he was watching and when he couldn't concentrate, left to his room. The metal soles on his shoes made no sound as he crossed the tile on the kitchen to the stairs. Starfire looked up, but Robin was already gone into his room, and the only sound was the movie playing in the other room.  
  
"Robin? What's up?" Beast Boy turned into a snake and slithered into Robin's room. Robin glared at the green creature on his floor and turned away from it. Beast Boy appeared where the snake was and walked around Robin to face him. "Robin, something's wrong, and I'm not going to give up until you tell me what it is. So SPILL!" Robin sighed and sat at his desk. "I.I've decided to disband the Titans." Beast Boy fell over and landed on his stomache. "WHAT?!? No way! Why? I won't let you!" Robin glared at Beast Boy's fallen form. "I'm disbanding the Titans to give you all a chance at a normal life. I want you to be able to live a life free of threats from Slade. I'm doing this for you guys. Not to gain anything. I'm losing something by doing this: My friends. You guys are my only friends. I'm going to have to avoid you if I want you to have a normal life. And you know the worst part? I'll have to go to an adoption agency or something to get adopted. Or worse, I'll have to go back to Gotham City where I'm just Batman's sidekick, not a leader. A sidekick." Beast Boy got up and brushed himself off, glaring at Robin. Robin sighed and put his head in his hands. Tears splashed onto the desk and Beast Boy's glare changed to a look of worry. "Robin? I'm sorry, but this is all I have! I can't take care of myself, I'll have to be adopted too!" Robin shook his head. "No you won't. You can be any animal you want to. You can run around as a snake and eat mice and stuff." Beast boy laughed. "No, I'm a vegan! Remember?" Robin let out something that sounded like a laugh and Beast Boy grinned. 


	4. Raven Cries,Starfire Leaves

Starfire walked up to Robin's room and knocked softly on his door before pushing a button to open it. Robin was sitting cross-legged on his bed, thinking. "Robin? I do not wish to bother you, but I have made my decision about going back to Tamaran. As much as I do not want to, I know it would cause you grief if I were to stay here. I don not want to do that, so I will return home." Robin looked up and nodded. Starfire sat on the edge of his bed and looked at Robin over her shoulder. "One thing I would like before I leave is to see you without your mask on. Why do you hide your eyes, Robin?" Robin sighed and looked down at his covers, pretending to be absorbed in the design-hundreds of tiny bats all mixed to form a picture of one. Finally Robin looked up and took his mask off. Starfire was looking at the most amazing baby blue eyes she had ever seen, and she just stared at them for a couple seconds. Then, Robin broke the silence that was growing between the two, saying, "I wear this mask because if I don't, someone may recognize me. The real me, Dick Grayson. I don't want that to happen, it reminds me of too much to be called Dick." Starfire nodded and pulled her legs under her. They sat on Robin's bed for a while, not saying anything and not entirely aware of each other's presence. When Beast Boy called for dinner, the two left together, each avoiding the others eyes but trying to catch their glance. They sat next to each other at the table, and an unfamiliar silence fell over the table. Cyborg glanced around at his glum teammates faces and put down his fork. "Ok, what's wrong? No one's talking." Raven looked at Cyborg and his eyes were full of unspoken sadness. Beast Boy didn't look up from pushing his food lazily around his plate. Starfire put her head in her hands and let out a couple choked sobs. Robin sighed and put his fork down as well. "Since Beast Boy has already told Raven, apparently, I guess I'll tell you. I've.I've decided to disband the Teen Titans. You guys are at too much risk to continue being in Teen Titans." Cyborg stared at Robin and his jaw dropped. His reaction was the same as Beast Boy's. "NO! You can't! I won't let you! This is the only place I'm accepted! I don't want to be a freak!" Robin shook his head. "You're not a freak. I wouldn't do this if I didn't think it was the only way to keep you guys-my friends-safe." Starfire looked up and sniffed. "I must go back to Tamaran, if Robin thinks it is the right thing to do. He knows more about Earth than I do, so he must know that I am in danger. He would not send me home if I was not." Robin looked over at Starfire and tears wavered on his eyes. He would miss her so much.Starfire pushed her chair back from the table and left, saying, "Please excuse me. I am not feeling too well, and I must pack and send a transmission home if I am to have transportation." Then she disappeared into the shadows of the hallway and Robin broke into tears. He put his head in his hands and Raven pulled his full plate away from him as he slowly lowered his head to the tabletop, whole body shuddering with his sobs.  
  
"Star?" Robin knocked on Starfire's door and leaned against the wall next to it. Starfire didn't answer, and Robin could hear sobs. He sighed and pressed the button next to her door that opened it. The door slowly hissed open and Robin looked in. Starfire was lying on her bed the right way, her head on the pillows, crying into them. Robin forgot what he was going to say as he watched Starfire cry, thinking he had come in unnoticed. Starfire didn't notice him, but Raven did. She watched Robin in Starfire's doorway for a couple seconds, then sighed and left. She too had to pack. In her room, Raven pulled her cloak off. She unbuckled the loose belt that hung around her waist and looked around her room. Tears came to her eyes and she fell to her knees, sobbing. Various items on her floor floated up and flew around the room, breaking vases and her mirror. Raven's sobs were quelled soon enough, and she sniffed, biting her lip. She raised her hand and became a part of the broken things in her room. She floated to the trashcan and was dumped into it multiple times. When she finally got back to her body, she was drained of a lot of her power, so she had to put everything in her suitcases by hand, occasionally breaking into sobs and collapsing on the floor, curling into a ball, as if to protect herself from the emotions she was feeling. When she finally finished packing, Raven's eyes were red and puffy and she was completely drained. She sat on her floor cross-legged and meditated, accepting the feeling of hopeless sadness she was feeling and trying to dissect it. On one hand, there was sadness at leaving the team. On the other, there was the hopelessness of being thirteen and thrust into the cruel human world. On one hand, she was sad that she had to leave Beast Boy, and on the other there was the hopelessness of being an alien in this strange land. Raven had at first been like Starfire when she got to Earth: Curious about the customs and intricate webs of laws and rules that must be followed, must be adhered to. But she had caught on quickly, and learned new things every day. Raven woke up, feeling better and recharged. But still sad. Unbearably sad. She felt she would die from the sadness that was spreading over her emotionless heart. She looked out her window to the dark rain clouds that were slowly spreading over the city, sneaking small tendrils of angry clouds over to the island. Raven smiled a sad half-smile and left her room to go outside. She could use being in a dark rainstorm.  
  
The rain struck Raven's pale head and the gemstone on ajna-shakra turned an ice cold blue as the sadness and hopeless feelings overtook her. The rain hid the tears that poured from her eyes and Raven slipped on some mud as she walked around the island with her head in her hands. Her powers caught her before her tush made contact with the muddy ground and the rain slipped through her fingers and into her eyes. Raven let herself fall to the ground and shivered in the cold as the rain splashed onto her body. She was going to die out here.Maybe death wouldn't be so bad, compared with having to live in the human world alone at such a fragile age of thirteen.But Beast Boy found her in the rain. With strength Raven would never had guessed he had, Beast Boy picked her up and carried her into the Titan Tower, pressing her shivering, pale body to his warm green one. When he laid her on the couch and put a think wool blanket over her, he said, "You can't leave today, Raye. I won't le you." Aware of the consequences, Beast Boy gently put his lips on her forehead. Raven was about to become a part of a vase and throw herself at the green morpher in front of her, then she realized that she didn't mind. Beast Boy hesitated when Raven didn't throw something at him and sat on the couch at her feet. Raven leaned her head against the armrest on the couch and sighed happily before falling asleep. Beast Boy fell asleep on the couch at Raven's feet and only woke up when Cyborg poked him in the ribs. HARD. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Cy, what was that for?!?" Cyborg laughed and pointed at Beast Boy. Beast Boy growled and pounced on Cyborg as a tiger, changing forms to suit the battle. Raven blinked her eyes blearily open and watched the two wrestle, smiling weakly. She had almost forgotten that the Teen Titans weren't gonna save the city anymore. Almost forgot. As Beast Boy changed into a boa constrictor to squeeze the breath out of Cyborg's human lungs, Robin came down with a suitcase. The green snake dropped limply from Cyborg's neck and turned back into Beast Boy, who stood with tears in his eyes. Starfire followed with two more suitcases and tears pouring freely down her face. Robin turned to her and put his arms around her as if to hug her and try to comfort her, but Starfire pushed him off hr and ran out into the rain. Robin followed her, only to see her board an alien ship with only two of her suitcases. Robin watched the ship lift off with tears streaming down his face and screamed Starfire's name. She pressed her face to the glass that covered the ship and waved goodbye to Robin. He dropped to his knees and put his head in his hands as the tears fell from his eyes to the already sopping wet ground of the island. Beast Boy came out first and put a hand on Robin's shoulder. Tears filled Beast Boy's eyes as the ship faded from view and Cyborg came out, gathering what had happened and returning to the interior of the Tower to get Raven. She came out with the wool blanket draped around her shoulders and her pale hand holding it closed at her neck. Tears flowed readily from her eyes as a new star appeared in the night sky, moving slowly to a bright blue star to the east. Robin looked up and screamed Starfire's name again, startling the group of three around him. Robin collapsed, breathing in shallow gasps. Raven knelt next to him and examined him. "Nothing serious. Just get him inside," she choked out through her tears. 


	5. Starfire Discovers Something,Robin Revea...

DISCLAIMER:I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS!  
  
Starre-Dick Grayson was the original Robin, the one who had a long-term relationship with Starfire. I'm using him for this reason.And I just like the original better than people who try to measure up to the original.  
  
To all my readers-THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEWS! This means a lot to me, and I'm glad that you like it. If you didn't like this story, maybe you'll like my other ones, With All My Heart and its sequel, I'm Sorry. If you liked this story, you might not like the other two, but I encourage you to read them. They are much better than this one, I think. I'm Sorry doesn't have much yet, but I'm trying to finish all the chapters before I post them. Keep reviewin! 3 U ALL, ROBINROX  
  
Robin woke up with a jolt and sat up quickly, ignoring the pain that spread across his body. 'Where's Starfire?' Robin began to think. Then he remembered what had happened before his face had hit the ground of the island. He looked out the window and wasn't too surprised to see that it was still raining. Good. Robin put his head in his hands and shuddered at the thought of life without Starfire. A pale hand landed softly on his shoulder and Robin looked up. Raven was standing there with her hood down, smiling faintly at him. Robin's lips turned up slightly at seeing his teammate smile, then dropped into a thin line. Raven sat on the couch next to Robin and he cried into her shoulder. Raven endured this with more than a little withheld disgust and patted Robin awkwardly on the back. When he finally stopped crying, Robin sniffed and wiped his eyes of any tears left wavering on his eyes. Raven bit back her own tears and stood. She noticed that everyone had set their suitcases out except for Robin.  
  
"Why haven't you put your suitcases out?" She asked, trying to keep the sadness out of her voice. It didn't work. Robin looked up at her and his lips curled into a slow smile. Tentative, but still a smile.  
  
"I'm not leaving. I'm staying here. The outside world holds too many memories. And besides, if I stay here, the government will have no reason to send me to some adoption agency." Raven nodded and went over to her own black suitcases. Beast Boy dropped out of nowhere as a green monkey and landed, chittering on Raven's shoulder. She absently reached up and stroked his course green fur as she looked around in her suitcase for her mirror. When she found it, the monkey on her shoulder gave a little squeak of surprise and jumped to the couch, to Robin's shoulder and hid behind him. Robin frowned at Beast Boy, who just hid further behind Robin.  
  
"Beast Boy, get off me. Go bother Cyborg." Beast Boy's green eyes widened and he hopped off Robin's shoulder and turned back into his normal form. Raven smiled at this little display and looked at her mirror. Four red eyes flashed on it and she was transported into her own mind.  
  
On the ship back to Tamaran, Starfire was crying and looking through her suitcase for something to ease her mind. A note from Robin in the second suitcase's pocket read:  
  
Starfire- I will miss you so much while you're gone. I've never had the courage to say it to your face, but you mean more to me than anything else in this world. I love you, Starfire. I wish I could tell you in person, but I can't. And now I'll never see you again. But I'll always remember you, and we can see each other in our dreams. I will never forget you Starfire. For a long as I live, you will always be in my memories, and in my heart.  
  
Love You Till The World Ends,  
Robin  
  
P.S. Check in the first suitcase's inner pocket for a surprise. It may not be much, but I know you'll like it.  
  
Starfire burst into tears and dropped the note to the cold steel floor of the ship. Through her tears, she searched through the inner pocket of her first suitcase. There was a picture of the five Titans, and Raven was actually smiling a little as Cyborg tried to push Robin's head out of the picture, fingers up in the 'peace' sign. Robin was smiling at the camera, and Starfire's hands were clasped together as if she thought it was great fun. Beast Boy was in the middle of changing into the cute little kitten that Starfire couldn't resist and was a comical sight, his bottom half much smaller than his top, and that of a kitten. He was smiling sheepishly at the camera and Starfire burst out laughing through her tears. The other thing she found in the inner pocket was Robin's cd player and a cd of her favorite songs, including The Voice Within by Christina Aguilera, My Immortal by Evanescence, and I'd Do Anything by Simple Plan. She sniffed and put the cd in the player, and put the headphones to her ears. Instead of a song at first, it was an intro by Robin.  
  
"Hey, Star. I guess you got the note in the other suitcase. If you're listening to this, you're on your way back to Tamaran and I'm in my room on Earth, crying my eyes out. But Star, I hope you know I meant what I said. I will NEVER forget you. I promise. This is a goodbye gift, and I've put in some songs that I think you'll like, even if you've never heard them. Did you like the picture? I remember when we took it. I'll never forget things like that. I'll never forget all the times we had together, good or bad. And I'll never forget that you always made me feel better when I was feeling down. I guess what I wanna say Star, is.Thanks. For everything. I love you. Don't ever forget it." Starfire put her head in her lap as Miss You by Aaliyah began playing in her ears. She looked back at the small star that used to be Earth and she blew a kiss to it, saying, "Robin, I will never forget you. You will never have to worry about that, because I love you as well, Dick Grayson. I hope you keep your promise of never forgetting me." Starfire smiled slightly and leaned back against the cushioned steel seat she was sitting on. Curling her legs beneath her, she fell asleep listening to Robin's compilation of songs for her. 


	6. Beast Boy Tells Raven,Starfire Leaves Ro...

DISCLAIMER:I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS!  
  
Raven looked at her other personalities. Each one was crying. Even Happy Raven. Raven sat on the ground and so did her other personalities. Timid Raven walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. Raven looked up and sniffed. Suddenly, Beast Boy appeared in her mind and ran up to her. Raven stood and her crying personalities each disappeared.  
  
"Raye, it's time to go. I don't think Robin can stand us being here anymore. He's just locked himself in his room and won't come out. I think he's crying again." Raven nodded and wiped her eyes of the imaginary tears that were trying to break through her emotion wall. Beast Boy walked to the Forbidden Door and Raven followed. Beast Boy stopped right next to the door and grabbed Raven's arm. Raven looked at Beast Boy like he was absolutely crazy.  
  
"Raven, wait. There's something I gotta say, and if I don't say it now, I'll never be able to. All those pranks and turning into animals at the stupidest times, that was all to impress you. I really like you Raven. And now that we're probably never gonna see each other again, I don't know what I'll do." Raven's pale features took on a hint of pink and she slowly tugged her arm free of Beast Boy's grasp. His face fell in humiliation and Raven lifted it up gently.  
  
"I'm not saying I don't like you Beast Boy. Don't look like that, it makes it harder to say goodbye." Beast Boy nodded and straightened, walking out the Forbidden Door. Raven followed, blushing deep pink.  
  
In Robin's room, he was, as Beast Boy suspected, crying. The suitcase Starfire had left was open on his bed, and its contents were strew on the bed: pictures, jewelry, and even some cds and a cd player. He was glad he had also put his cd player in the inner pocket of her first suitcase. How had it taken him so long to figure out his feelings for her? Why did everyone else know about he felt before he did? It didn't make sense. Robin looked back at Starfire's cds through his tears and narrowed his eyes in confusion.  
  
"Why would Star have this?", he asked no one. He picked up the cd in question, The Eminem Show. He flipped it over to look at the back and instead of a song list, there was a note written to him in Starfire's handwriting.  
  
Robin, I left this suitcase on purpose. I cannot remember a time when I felt so sad, and it is all because of you. But you know what? Because you have made me feel miserable, I feel right. Every time I was around you, I felt that way: everything was right. Even if we were battling Slade, I felt that the world was right, and that no harm could come to me while you were there. I know now why I felt-FEEL-that way. It is because I love you, Robin. Every time I have been unhappy, you were always first to try and cheer me up, and usually succeeded. I cannot imagine a life without you, Robin, and I do not want to. Also in the suitcase, hidden in a secret pocket, is a transmitter. I have one, and if you call me on it, you can talk to me. I will never forget you, Teen Wonder.  
  
Love Always,  
Starfire  
  
Robin found the hidden pocket easy enough, and when he did, he hesitated a moment. He desperately wanted to talk to Starfire, but it could put her in danger. He came to a conclusion and pulled the transmitter out of the pocket. He looked at it for a second with watery eyes, then turned it on and said to it, "Star, this is the only transmission I'm gonna send you. I love you, and if you've read my note and listened to the cd you'll have found that out. But it's for that reason that I smash this transmitter. You won't understand, but believe me, I love you more than life itself. I would gladly die if it meant you could live in peace. I love you, Starfire. I will never forget you." After saying this, Robin turned off the transmitter and shattered it on his desk, crying softly as the parts flew every which way. 


	7. Revelation

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TEEN TITANS OR ANYTHING I USE IN HERE!  
  
A/N: I FINALLY UPDATED! Yay me! lol, I bet all you want is more story. So here it is! ^^  
  
Starfire woke up to the beeping of her transmitter and immediately stopped the cd player. She turned the transmitter on and waited for Robin's happy voice to tell her that he was glad to know that he could still contact her. But his voice wasn't happy at all. Instead, he sounded serious and sad.  
  
"Star, this is the only transmission I'm gonna send you. I love you, and if you've read my note and listened to the cd you'll have found that out. But it's for that reason that I smash this transmitter. You won't understand, but believe me, I love you more than life itself. I would gladly die if it meant you could live in peace. I love you, Starfire. I will never forget you." Starfire gasped and dropped the transmitter. It smashed into millions of little pieces and Starfire burst into tears. Robin probably thought Slade would track her from the electronic transmission waves the transmitters gave out. Starfire looked at the broken pieces of the transmitter and shot a starbolt at them. The tears in her eyes burned her cheeks and when they landed on her lips, they felt like hot, sticky syrup running down her throat. A pilot came to see if she was okay and it appeared as if Starfire had just been going through her suitcases, looking for things from her former home. When the pilot left, however, a hand pressed a button on the wall and the image of Starfire looking through her suitcase blurred, then disappeared. It had just been a hologram. The real Starfire had collapsed next to the button, crying.  
  
"Why? Why us?" Starfire heard a voice, muffled slightly, but still there. It was Beast Boy. Beast Boy? Her Titan communicator! She hadn't gotten rid of it yet, and it hadn't been deactivated! Switching off the communicator so only Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Raven could hear, Starfire gleefully shouted into it.  
  
"FRIENDS!" Starfire was answered by a long silence, then.  
  
"Starfire? You shouldn't be calling. You shouldn't even have your communicator." Starfire pouted at the seriousness in Beast Boy's voice and tears began to fall from her eyes.  
  
"You are not happy to hear from me?" She whispered into the communicator, choking back her tears. Another silence. Starfire bit her lip and ran her hand through her hair as Robin had done when he was extremely confused or upset. Then, a sigh from the other end brought her back to staring at the communicator in her hand.  
  
"It's not that Star. We just agree with Robin. Since Slade knows how much you mean to him, he might try to come after you. We don't want you hurt. You're our friend." Cyborg's calm, serious voice made Starfire uneasy. How many times had Cyborg been calm and serious at the same time? Starfire bit her lip to keep the tears from pouring down her cheeks again. She had to get home. But she was on the ship to home, wasn't she? No, home was where Robin was.  
  
"I cannot go back to Tamaran. If I do, I will never be able to come back! Please, let me come back!" Starfire nearly screamed into the communicator. A longer pause than ever before, and then.  
  
"Good. Slade'll never be able to get his grimy little hands on you then." Robin's voice cracked and Starfire burst into tears. He loved her, and yet he did not want her home. Was that really loving her?  
  
"I wish to go home. You say you love me-do you really Robin?" Starfire heard Robin's sharp intake of breath and a snicker from Cyborg. Apparently he and Robin were sharing a communicator, because Starfire could hear Robin hit him over the head, HARD.  
  
"Of course I do. And that's why I'm sending you home." Starfire sighed through her tears. Robin didn't get it. None of them did. 'Well, they will.' Starfire thought, holding the communicator tight in her hand.  
  
"My home is not Tamaran. My home is Earth! Where you are Robin, where you all are! Where I am needed and loved! I wish to return home, and if I have to knock out the pilots of this ship and fly it back to Earth on my own, so be it, but I will not return to where I cannot leave!" Starfire said decisively. She could almost hear each Titan's eyes bugging out and then she definitely heard a clatter. Someone had dropped their communicator. The longest pause on the other end of the communicator, and then-  
  
"SLADE! GET OUT OF HERE-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Robin's voice made Starfire's head snap up to look out the windows, in the direction of Earth. The communicator was wrenched from Robin's hands and a thunk was heard as Slade hit Robin over the head to silence him.  
  
"Starfire." The coldness in Slade's voice sent shivers up Starfire's spine, but she pushed them down and glared at the communicator. She would not let Slade have Robin this time.  
  
"Let Robin go, or I'll-" Slade laughed. Starfire let out a small scream of rage as Slade finished laughing.  
  
"You'll what Starfire? You'll turn that ship around and fly it to my lair and beat me single-handedly? I'd like to see you try." Starfire threw the communicator at the floor in her rage and watched with satisfaction as it broke into a thousand little pieces. She turned to the door that led to the pilot's room and charged up a starbolt. Floating to the door, she blasted it open and charged up another starbolt. The pilots turned and their jaws dropped. Starfire was quite a sight, her narrow eyes glowing bright green, starbolts glowing with deadly green light on her hands. She aimed each starbolt at a pilot and took a step forward.  
  
"Turn this ship around or I will kill you and do it myself." Even though the pilots considered themselves more than a match for Starfire, she was the High Royal Princess of Tamaran, and she was not to be trifled with. Without a word, the pilots turned back to the controls and started pressing buttons and pulling levers. Starfire leaned against the doorframe and watched all the commotion, tears glowing green on her eyes. 


	8. Nightingale

A/N: Okay, this is where it gets extremely weird to the point where even I am a little confused. But don't worry, there is a purpose for everything that happens in my fics.  
  
Starfire shot her strongest starbolt at Slade's door and stepped inside, after blowing the door to pieces. As before, his lair was a dark, complex mechanism of gears and gyros-almost like a clock tower. Starfire, who would normally have giggled at the sight of such an odd place, looked around for Robin. He was nowhere to be seen, as was Slade. Taking a cautionary step forward, Starfire leapt up when the floor beneath her gave way and crumbled. Breathing heavily, Starfire looked once again around the room. This time, she saw Slade leaning casually against a wall, like you would expect some jock to do in high school. Starfire narrowed her eyes and flew down to him, stopping just short of hitting him in the stomache. "Starfire. So glad you could make it. I trust you found Raven and Beast Boy easy enough?" Starfire growled and formed a starbolt on her clenched fist. "Dispense with the pleasantries, Slade. Where is Robin?" Slade chuckled, and Starfire held her fist up to his face, trying to remain calm. "I will only ask you nicely one more time. Where is Robin?" Slade must have pressed a button on the wall behind him, because next thing Starfire knew, the whole place lit up with bright light. Blinking, Starfire looked around. She gasped. Robin was in a corner, slumped over, head on his chest. The starbolt on Starfire's fist faded away and Starfire flew at top speed to Robin, sitting next to his still form. A long gash ran along his stomache, and blood dripped from it still. Robin's face was pale, his breathing shallow. He would soon die if he did not get medical attention. "Why?" was all Starfire could say. She did not understand why people as evil as Slade existed, only knew that she was meant to fight them and help the people of Earth. Slade chuckled again. This pushed Starfire off the deep end. She whirled around to face Slade, eyes and hands blazing with starbolts. "Nothing about this is funny! You have hurt innocent people, and there seems to be no logical explanation for what you are doing! Why? Why do you torment us so? Why do you make Robin worry so much that he sends me away?" Tears formed on Starfire's eyes, glowing green, just as her eyes did. "Why do you do this to us?" Slade was no longer laughing. His masked face was more serious now, like he considered this to be a topic worth talking about. With a smile, he said simply, "Because I can." Starfire looked at Slade with such hatred that I'm surprised he didn't just melt on the spot. Instead, he held up a syringe filled with a blood red liquid. "If you wish Robin to survive, you will join me and tend to him yourself. If you don't, I'll let him die-and kill the others. And you'll watch-I promise." Starfire let the starbolts on her hands to fade away, but her eyes were still alight with the solar power she used as energy. Slade smiled. Now he was getting somewhere. "If you say yes-which I'm sure you will-you will put this liquid into your body. It suppresses morals and memories, so all you will know is life with me. And, of course, tending to your precious Robin." Starfire held her hand out for the syringe. Slade placed it in her hands and smiled when she plunged the needle into her arm and squeezed the liquid in, wincing as she did. Soon, Starfire's eyes grew blank and the starbolts died away from her eyes. There was a clatter as the syringe fell from Starfire's hands, and she stood stock still, staring at nothing. Then, her eyes sprang to life again and she looked at Slade with respect. "Master." Starfire dropped to one knee, and Slade smiled. His plan had worked out fine, so far. Next, he would inject the same chemicals into Robin's body once Starfire had finished tending to him, and he would have two apprentices. "Your name is Nightingale. You have worked for me since you were a small girl, and the boy in that corner there-" Slade pointed to Robin at this. Nightingale (Starfire) turned her head to face him and smiled. She already loved him again. "-Is your accomplice. He was wounded on a mission and you have been giving him all the medical attention he needs. His name..." Slade paused. He had never thought of a name change for Robin, but then again, it wouldn't hurt to confuse the people even more when their heroes committed unspeakable crimes. "His name is Hawk." Okay, so it wasn't a big change, but a change nonetheless. Nightingale nodded and Slade looked at her clothes and hair. That would have to change. "Today, your mission is simple, and doesn't require stealing. All I want you to do today is get your hair color changed. I have new clothes for you in your room. " Nightingale nodded and flew upwards to the door she had blown down upon entering the room. She looked at it for a few seconds, then charged her hands with jet-black starbolts and shot it.  
  
Nightingale entered her master's lair in half an hour, hair dyed black, with red streaks. Slade smiled. It was a nice change. A robot of his showed her to her room, and when Nightingale came out, you would hardly recognize her as Starfire. Apart from her hair being a different color, she now had on an all black suit. Alright, so it wasn't exactly a suit. Scratch that, it was nowhere NEAR a suit. The top was a black bra-top with ripped sleeves to Nightingale's fingertips, a black chocker necklace accompanying the piece. Her pants were black leather, ripped at the knee. Her boots were black, with metal soles that made them click when they hit the ground. Contacts came with the ensemble, now making Nightingale's eyes change from jade green-on-green to midnight blue-on-black. All in all, she definitely looked evil-and that wasn't all Slade had done. "See that syringe with the blood red liquid?" Slade asked Nightingale. She nodded and picked it up. Looking at her arm, she noticed for the first time a dot of dried blood on her upper arm. "Did...Did I use this on myself?" Slade nodded. "It gave you more powers than the ones you had originally. Unfortunately, it also took some of your memories. The powers it gave you are simple-black starbolts from your eyes and hands, death energy from your fingertips and palm, and black lightning. The death energy you must use sparingly because it draws on your own life force to kill others." Nightingale nodded. Looking back at Hawk (Robin), she sighed and sat down, forming starbolts on her fingers. Turning back to Slade, Nightingale looked pleading. "Master, I will need gauze to wrap around his stomache. May I have some?" Slade nodded and one of his Slade-bots came in with a roll of gauze. Nightingale smiled at the bot as if she had seen it for all of her life, then unrolled the gauze and began wrapping it around Hawk's midsection, where the gash was. 


	9. Hawk

Nightingale smiled. Hawk had recovered nicely throughout the week, and he was now ready to receive his new powers. All he needed to do is wake up. Checking the small scar that had been left where the gash had been, Nightingale gently shook Hawk's shoulders and he jumped awake. Nightingale smiled and turned to Slade, who nodded and handed her the syringe with a smile. His plan was nearing completion. Hawk blinked as Nightingale made sure there was no air in the syringe and looked at her closely. His eyes widened in recognition.  
  
"STARFIRE?" He asked doubtfully. Nightingale looked at Hawk with puzzlement.  
  
"No, I am Nightingale. You must still be delirious. Master Slade said this would happen when you woke up." Nightingale pulled up Hawk's green sleeve, searching for a vein to put the needle in.  
  
"Master Slade? Starfire, what-Ahhhh!" The needle went into Hawk's arm and he almost doubled over as Nightingale put the blood red liquid into his system. In seconds, Hawk's eyes had gone blank, and he no longer looked pained. Nightingale smiled when Hawk's eyes came back to life, and he blinked.  
  
"You are Hawk. I am Nightingale, your accomplice in crime. Behind me is our master, Slade. We have been working for him since we were little. We...we are in love, I think..." Nightingale looked down, and Hawk stood, helping Nightingale to stand too. Slade looked at Hawk with pride.  
  
"The chemicals in that syringe gave you advanced powers. Like Nightingale, you have the power to fire bolts of black energy called death bolts. You also have control of fire, but instead of the fire being red, it's black. Your third and final power is soul captivation. You can use a little of your life energy to capture people's souls and use them to grow stronger." Hawk thought of something and grinned.  
  
"You were never my master, Slade." A bright white glow surrounded Hawk and Slade and Slade screamed as the light flashed black for a moment, then Slade slumped to the ground. Nightingale stared at Slade's lifeless body in horror, then turned to Hawk, who was looking at his clothes in disgust.  
  
"Any new duds for me in this place? I just realized how dumb I look." Hawk smiled at Nightingale, who finally figured it out. Hawk hadn't lost his memory, just his morals. She, on the other hand, would have to live her life without knowing who she was.  
  
"Ye-Yeah, in your room. A Slade-bot will show you where it is." Hawk smiled at Nightingale again and kissed her.  
  
"You don't know how long I've waited for this." Hawk whispered, then left Nightingale to go change. Nightingale touched her lips and smiled.  
  
Hawk came out of his room and Nightingale grinned. Hawk's new suit (which I can actually call a suit this time! ) was a black T-shirt under a white leather jacket, with black pants and midnight blue boots. The mask on his eyes was gone, and the contacts over his eyes now made them black-on-dark purple. A white wristband adorned Hawk's wrist. Nightingale grabbed Hawk by the arms and lifted him away from Slade's lair, pressing the 'Self Destruct' button as she did. In the hair salon, Hawk got his hair died the red that Nightingale's hair used to be, with black and blue streaks. They met Raven and Beast Boy along the way, and Hawk was delighted to learn that the 'Earring of Death' as Beast Boy called it and the bomb no longer threatened them. Nightingale was confused by everything that went on, and her midnight blue eyes narrowed in confusion whenever Raven and Beast Boy called her Starfire.  
  
"Raven, Starfire-I mean, Nightingale-needs her memories back. Can you give them to her?" Raven pulled her hood down and looked scrupulously at Nightingale.  
  
"I might...But-" A metallic hand covered Raven's mouth, and they all looked up to see Cyborg grinning behind Raven.  
  
"Cy! I'm glad you're okay!" Nightingale said with a smile. Before Hawk had awakened, Cyborg was her accomplice. Cyborg nodded at Nightingale and sat next to her.  
  
"So, what was this about giving Nightingale her memories back? 'Cause I want mine back too." Raven nodded and closed her eyes, entering first Nightingale's mind.  
  
In Nightingale's mind, Raven came across evil thoughts and ideas to make a break for it. Pushing those thoughts away, Raven searched for Starfire's memories. She found them quick enough, locked in a room in the back of Nightingale's sub-conscious. Along with them were Starfire's morals. Being the half-demon that she was, Raven thought Starfire's change to Nightingale was for the better, so only let loose her memories.  
  
Nightingale gasped as memories flooded through her. Her favorite, she found, was when Hawk, or Robin, as he had been then, had taken her and the rest of the Titans to the carnival. They had gone their separate ways, she and Robin going to the Ferris wheel, and Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven went to the games, much to Raven's displeasure. Robin had been very nice to her, but didn't feel her gaze on him when she had said that Earth was full of wonderful things too. Nightingale looked at Hawk, who smiled and put his hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Starfire?" Nightingale nodded, eyes watering. She stood and formed a black starbolt on her fist.  
  
"You would've sent me away. You would've sent me back to Tamaran. Tamaran is in the middle of a civil war! Do you want me killed?" Hawk had been so ecstatic about Nightingale's regained memories that he had forgotten what Starfire would've done had Slade not captured him. He stood and Nightingale glared at him.  
  
"I may have loved you once, but not now. Not ever again!" She threw the starbolt at him and took off into the sky, tears stinging at her eyes. Hawk easily dodged the black starbolt and formed black fire on his fist. 'I wonder if I can make it follow her...' Hawk spoke to the fire, trying to look like he knew what he was doing.  
  
"Follow Nightingale. When she stops, you come find me and tell me." Hawk then threw the fireball into the air, watching, semi amazed, as it took off after Nightingale. Turning back to Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg, Hawk sighed.  
  
"Raven, do you think you got it in you to give Cyborg his memories back?" Raven nodded and looked at Cyborg. She closed her eyes, and in seconds, Cyborg remembered everything.  
  
"We have to find Nightingale. I don't know what she'll do in her rage, but with her morals back, it can't be too bad." Raven bit her lips.  
  
"Uh, Hawk? I didn't give Nightingale her morals back. Just her memories. I thought her change was for the better." Hawk groaned and paced the ground, thinking.  
  
"Since she DOESN'T have her morals back, she won't be doing something small that we can handle. She might be..." Hawk couldn't bring himself to say it. Even without his morals, he was a good person, and that wasn't going to change. But after all that had happened to Nightingale on Earth, all the bad things she had seen done, everything Hawk had done to her, might just turn her evil if she didn't have her morals. Raven sensed what Hawk was thinking and said it for him.  
  
"She might be turning into the next Slade. We have to stop her. No matter what. Even if it means we have to kill her." Hawk's head snapped up to look at Raven.  
  
"No. We won't kill her." Raven sighed. Emotions were evil. She was glad she never felt emotion.  
  
"Hawk, if we have to, we have to. There's no escaping it-Nightingale has turned bad and we have to take her down, just like we had to take down Slade." Hawk backed away from Raven, shaking his head.  
  
"No. I won't kill her. I WON'T!" He turned and ran the other way, trying to flee the truth: Nightingale was evil. And if he had to, he would kill her.  
  
"Her death...By my hand. I couldn't bear to have to live with that." Hawk whispered to himself, still running. A flash of black hair made him turn. Nightingale was sobbing in an alley, head in her hands.  
  
"Nightingale?" Nightingale's head snapped up and she glared at Hawk.  
  
"You sent a fireball after me to kill me, didn't you?!?" Hawk shook his head and stepped closer to Nightingale. She jumped up and formed a starbolt on her fist. Hawk didn't form a deathbolt, just stopped moving toward her.  
  
"Stop lying! I know you want me dead." Hawk shook his head, tears in his eyes. Nightingale held her fist in front of her face, ready to shoot at Hawk.  
  
"No, Star, that's the last thing I want." Nightingale's eyes blazed black. She threw the starbolt at Hawk, screaming, "MY NAME IS NIGHTINGALE!" Hawk was blasted to the ground. He lay there, eyes shut, his chest barely moving up and down, signifying that he was still alive and breathing. 


	10. Last Song

The song used in this last chapter is Gackt's translated 'Last Song'

_I continued wandering aimlessly, all alone  
  
A faint sigh painting a stroke of white  
  
In the ephemeral nature of the changing seasons  
  
Tears overflowed without any reason  
  
"Even now I love you..."  
_  
Hawk's PoV

While I was unconscious, I thought about a lot of things. But mostly, I thought about her. How different she was, now she didn't have morals. How much I missed her, even if she was only gone a couple days. This...Isn't right. What Slade did to her shouldn't have been done, just to get at me. But then, with Slade, it's all about getting me to be his apprentice. I should never have let her go. I should have known that Slade was expecting me to do just that. Now, she's gone, replaced by Nightingale. She doesn't love me. She never will. Not after all I put her through. She had said that I was forgiven, but apparently I wasn't. I didn't realize I had caused her so much hurt. All I knew was that I was a jackass for not realizing sooner what Slade was going to do to her...To them.  
  
_The continually falling sadness changes into pure white snow  
  
Through it all, I raised my head to the sky  
  
Before this body disappears now, if my wish reaches you  
  
Please hold me tight just once more_  
  
Hawk groaned and opened his eyes. Tears were falling on his face, and Nightingale was shuddering with every sob that escaped her body. Without thinking, Hawk threw his arms around Nightingale's shoulders, attempting to comfort her. Nightingale hugged Hawk back, her tears falling on him as he whispered to her that he would never try to kill her.  
"I'm so sorry, Robin, I doubted you again. I don't even deserve to be in your presence." Hawk laughed.  
"Star, I don't care that you tried to kill me. I deserved it for what I did to you. I'm so sorry, Star, I should've learned more about your home planet before sending you home." Nightingale stood and pulled Hawk up with her, wiping her eyes.  
"I love you, Robin, or Hawk, or whoever you are. Whatever your name is, you will always be the same to me. The same good man that I fell in love with." Hawk blushed slightly and kissed Nightingale lightly on the lips.  
  
_"C'mon. The others are searching for you."  
  
We didn't understand each other and hurt each other over and over again  
  
Even at those times you were always kind  
  
I cut myself on the suddenly surrendered ring  
  
As our promises to each other were not granted  
  
"Even now I remember..."  
_  
Raven restored Nightingale's morals, and the Teen Titans went back to the Tower. They made it a place able to live in once more, and got back to crime fighting the next day. Nightingale and Hawk debated for a long time over whether they should or shouldn't stay the way they were, and then decided that minus the contacts, the ensemble wasn't too bad. So, they ditched the contacts, but kept the new hair dos and the new clothes. A year later, the two decided to share a room, and accepted a new Titan into their ranks-Speedy. Beast Boy (now Changeling) and Raven also decided to share a room, leaving room for yet another new Titan, Aqualad. The group flourished, and in a matter of months, they had installations of Teen Titan operatives all over the world. Nightingale and Hawk got married and had two children, Nightstar and Eagle, after which they retired from the evil- battling biz to spend more time with their children. Changeling and Raven also married, but had no children. And thus ends the story of the TEEN TITANS.  
  
_The fading memories are too brilliant as always  
  
I wanted to be closer by  
  
We can't meet again but you were always close to hold me up  
  
Just you, don't change yourself  
  
I can't erase those last tears you showed me  
  
Even if I disappear along with this white snow  
  
I want to always bloom in your heart  
  
We held each other close don't forget that warmth  
  
Even if you love someone else  
  
I'll never let go of the sound the last I heard of your voice  
  
I want to fall into a deep sleep  
  
The continually falling sadness changes into pure white snow  
  
Through it all, I raised my head to the sky  
  
Before this body disappears now, if my wish reaches you  
  
Please hold me tight just once more  
  
"Please hold me tight just once more..." _


End file.
